John Carlyle (6 February 1720–October 1780) was a
Scottish merchant who emigrated to
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
Colony of Virginia and became a leading landowner and social and political figure in
Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia, locally referred to as NOVA or NoVA, comprises several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. It is a widespread region radiating westward and southward from Washington, D.C. Wit ...
. He was a founding trustee and the first overseer of
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the northern region of the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. It lies on the western bank of the Potomac River approximately south of downtown Washington, D.C.
In 2020, the population was 159,467. ...
.
Early life
Born in
Carlisle,
Cumberland,
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, Carlyle was the second surviving son of William Carlyle, an apothecary-surgeon, of a landed Scottish family from
Dumfrieshire
Dumfriesshire or the County of Dumfries or Shire of Dumfries (''Siorrachd Dhùn Phris'' in Gaelic) is a historic county and registration county in southern Scotland. The Dumfries lieutenancy area covers a similar area to the historic county.
...
descended from the
Lords Carlyle of Torthorwald and Rachel Murray of
Murraythwaite,
Dumfriesshire
Dumfriesshire or the County of Dumfries or Shire of Dumfries (''Siorrachd Dhùn Phris'' in Gaelic) is a historic county and registration county in southern Scotland. The Dumfries lieutenancy area covers a similar area to the historic county.
I ...
descendent of the
Clan Murray
Clan Murray () is a Highland Scottish clan. The chief of the Clan Murray holds the title of Duke of Atholl. Their ancestors were the Morays of Bothwell who established the family in Scotland in the 12th century. In the 16th century, descendants ...
, supporters of
Robert the Bruce
Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (Scottish Gaelic: ''Raibeart an Bruis''), was King of Scots from 1306 to his death in 1329. One of the most renowned warriors of his generation, Robert eventual ...
during
First War of Scottish Independence
The First War of Scottish Independence was the first of a series of wars between English and Scottish forces. It lasted from the English invasion of Scotland in 1296 until the ''de jure'' restoration of Scottish independence with the Treaty ...
.
Merchant
In 1730's John Carlyle trained as an apprentice to
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
merchant William Hicks in the port town of
Whitehaven
Whitehaven is a town and port on the English north west coast and near to the Lake District National Park in Cumbria, England. Historically in Cumberland, it lies by road south-west of Carlisle and to the north of Barrow-in-Furness. It i ...
. Hicks was a ship owner and traded with British colonies, there Carlyle learned to do business in the Virginia Trade. Hicks sent him as his
factor
Factor, a Latin word meaning "who/which acts", may refer to:
Commerce
* Factor (agent), a person who acts for, notably a mercantile and colonial agent
* Factor (Scotland), a person or firm managing a Scottish estate
* Factors of production, suc ...
(agent) in America to work in
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
in 1741. Merchant agents were required to remain single since they had to travel extensively. He stopped working with Hicks and started his own ventures after his marriage with Sarah.
Carlyle established himself as a merchant at Belhaven (original name of Alexandria), a settlement that had grown up around a
tobacco
Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...
warehouse
A warehouse is a building for storing goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial parks on the outskirts of cities ...
on the bluff overlooking the
Potomac River
The Potomac River () drains the Mid-Atlantic United States, flowing from the Potomac Highlands into Chesapeake Bay. It is long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map. Retrieved Augu ...
. Carlyle quickly met with financial success. The Hicks company did not allow their workers to get married, but that did not stop him, he married Sarah Fairfax in 1747 (she was cousin of
Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron
Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (22 October 16939 December 1781), was a Scottish peer. He was the son of Thomas Fairfax, 5th Lord Fairfax of Cameron, and Catherine Colepeper, daughter of Thomas Colepeper, 2nd Baron Colepeper.
The ...
, one of the most influential families in Virginia).
He built his house between 1751 to 1753 in Alexandria, now is called
Carlyle House
Carlyle House is a historic mansion in Alexandria, Virginia, United States, built by Scottish merchant John Carlyle in 1751 to 1752 in the Georgian style.
It is situated in the city's Old Town at 121 North Fairfax Street between Cameron and K ...
. He also owned thousands of acres of land throughout Virginia, including three plantations. His business ventures included trading with England and the
West Indies
The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Greate ...
, retail operations in Alexandria, a
foundry
A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal into a mold, and removing the mold material after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals pr ...
in the
Shenandoah Valley, milling, and operation of a
forge. He also undertook a number of civic and religious positions typical of a man of his status. Carlyle was owner of 4 ships, 3 of them capable of crossing the Atlantic to sell his products to
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
and Great Britain. The city of Belhaven was renamed to
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the northern region of the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. It lies on the western bank of the Potomac River approximately south of downtown Washington, D.C.
In 2020, the population was 159,467. ...
in 1779.
French and Indian War
On 26 January 1754,
George Washington
George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...
was appointed Colonel by Virginia's Lieutenant Governor
Robert Dinwiddie
Robert Dinwiddie (1692 – 27 July 1770) was a British colonial administrator who served as lieutenant governor of colonial Virginia from 1751 to 1758, first under Governor Willem Anne van Keppel, 2nd Earl of Albemarle, and then, from July 1756 ...
, major and commissary of the Virginia forces in the
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the ...
. He was politically well-connected at the time and was friends with Colonel
George Washington
George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...
. John Carlyle was appointed Colonel in 1755.
When the french and Indian forces were stronger Great Britain sent General
Edward Braddock
Major-General Edward Braddock (January 1695 – 13 July 1755) was a British officer and commander-in-chief for the Thirteen Colonies during the start of the French and Indian War (1754–1763), the North American front of what is known in Europe ...
to fight their enemies. In 1755, Carlyle's house was the initial headquarters for Major-General
Edward Braddock
Major-General Edward Braddock (January 1695 – 13 July 1755) was a British officer and commander-in-chief for the Thirteen Colonies during the start of the French and Indian War (1754–1763), the North American front of what is known in Europe ...
in Virginia during the French and Indian War. The
Congress of Alexandria
The Congress or Council of Alexandria was a 1755 meeting of Major-General Edward Braddock, commander-in-chief of the British Army in North America and governors of five of the constituent colonies. These were Robert Dinwiddie of Virginia, Horati ...
convened at the house, most likely in the dining room, and here Braddock decided to make an
expedition to the french
Fort Duquesne
Fort Duquesne (, ; originally called ''Fort Du Quesne'') was a fort French colonization of the Americas, established by the French in 1754, at the confluence of the Allegheny River, Allegheny and Monongahela River, Monongahela rivers. It was lat ...
.
Braddock was urged not to undertake the
expedition by Washington whom was then a volunteer ''
aide-de-camp'' to Braddock. The expedition consisted in 1300 British troops, they fought against 300 Indian warriors and some french troops,
Battle of the Monongahela
The Battle of the Monongahela (also known as the Battle of Braddock's Field and the Battle of the Wilderness) took place on 9 July 1755, at the beginning of the French and Indian War, at Braddock's Field in what is now Braddock, Pennsylvania, e ...
resulted in the death of 456 British troops and 422 British injured, Braddock was severely injured and died after the battle, he was buried in a secret location in order to protect his grave.
Morven
Around 1770, Caryle constructed a plantation house and summer residence in what is now
Fairlington, Arlington, Virginia
Fairlington is an unincorporated neighborhood in Arlington County, Virginia, United States, located adjacent to Shirlington in the southernmost part of the county on the boundary with the City of Alexandria. The main thoroughfares are Interstat ...
first called Torthorwald (after his
family's ancestral home in Scotland) and later changed to Morven (a mythical land of the
Gaels
The Gaels ( ; ga, Na Gaeil ; gd, Na Gàidheil ; gv, Ny Gaeil ) are an ethnolinguistic group native to Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man in the British Isles. They are associated with the Gaelic languages: a branch of the Celtic langu ...
in an
Ossian poem) which stood until 1942. He used this plantation as a stud farm and operated a grist mill on
Four Mile Run
Four Mile Run is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed August 15, 2011 stream in Northern Virginia that starts near Interstate 66, at Gordon Avenue in Fairfax County and pro ...
above what is now
Arlandria. Carlyle died in 1780 and is buried at the
Old Presbyterian Meeting House in Alexandria.
Family
In 1747 he married Sarah Fairfax (daughter of
William Fairfax
William Fairfax (1691–1757) was a political appointee of the British Crown in several colonies as well as a planter and politician in the Colony of Virginia. Fairfax served as Collector of Customs in Barbados, Chief Justice and governor of the ...
whom was cousin of
Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron
Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (22 October 16939 December 1781), was a Scottish peer. He was the son of Thomas Fairfax, 5th Lord Fairfax of Cameron, and Catherine Colepeper, daughter of Thomas Colepeper, 2nd Baron Colepeper.
The ...
, the larger land owner of Virginia), with whom he had 7 children, among them Sarah Fairfax Carlyle whom was born in January 4, 1757. Sarah Fairfax gave birth to her daughter Ann in 21 January 1761, but she died the following day. Sally got married when had 17 years old, and Ann got married when was 14 years old but died three years later in a birth related death.
John Carlyle married Sybil West (daughter of prominent Alexandrian Hugh West) with whom had four more children, among them George William Carlyle, whom was born in May 27, 1766. William Carlyle (John Carlyle father) died in 1774. In 1779 while George William Carlyle was at school was informed of the illness of his father and returned to the house, after his father death he volunteered for virginian regiment let by
Henry Lee III
Henry Lee III (January 29, 1756 – March 25, 1818) was an early American Patriot and U.S. politician who served as the ninth Governor of Virginia and as the Virginia Representative to the United States Congress. Lee's service during the Amer ...
and decided to join the revolution and died in 1780.
Carlyle House
Between 1751 and 1752 John Carlyle completed the construction of his house, the
Carlyle House
Carlyle House is a historic mansion in Alexandria, Virginia, United States, built by Scottish merchant John Carlyle in 1751 to 1752 in the Georgian style.
It is situated in the city's Old Town at 121 North Fairfax Street between Cameron and K ...
. They moved to the house in August 7, 1753. It is situated in the city's
Old Town at 121 North Fairfax Street between Cameron and
King Streets.
Heir
John Carlyle's only son to survive beyond childhood was George William Carlyle, born in 1766. He served in the cavalry (3rd Continental Light Dragoons under Lt. Col. William Washington, a cousin of George Washington) and was killed in
South Carolina
)'' Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no)
, anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind"
, Former = Province of South Carolina
, seat = Columbia
, LargestCity = Charleston
, LargestMetro = ...
in the
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
Battle of Eutaw Springs
The Battle of Eutaw Springs was a battle of the American Revolutionary War, and was the last major engagement of the war in the Carolinas. Both sides claimed victory.
Background
In early 1781, Major General Nathanael Greene, commander of the ...
on 8 September 1781 at age 15, less than one year after the death of his father. Had George William Carlyle lived, he would have been entitled to the dormant
barony as
Lord Carlyle, after the death of his first cousin
Joseph Dacre Carlyle
Rev Joseph Dacre Carlyle FRSE (4 June 1758 – 12 April 1804) was an English orientalist. He gained church preferment and travelled widely.
Life
Joseph Dacre Carlyle was born in Carlisle, Cumberland, where his father George Carlyle served as a ...
who died without a son in 1804.
Slavery
The British colonists continued the tradition of
Slavery in Britain
Slavery in Britain existed before the Roman occupation and until the 11th century, when the Norman conquest of England resulted in the gradual merger of the pre-conquest institution of slavery into serfdom, and all slaves were no longer recogni ...
and they expanded it with the
Atlantic slave trade. Carlyle owned slaves and used them in his household and his multiple business ventures. As many other slave owners at this time he had a paternalistic approach towards slaves, and considered them primarily as parts of his assets. He was also “active in importing, buying, selling and owning slave”, which was a common activity at that time.
In the media
''Paper & Stone: The hidden history of John Carlyle'', is a 30 minutes documentary about the life, history and recent discoveries of John Carlyle family. It was produced in 2005 by Robert Cole films & The Carlyle House Historic Park.
See also
*
Lord Carlyle of Torthorwald
*
Torthorwald Castle
Torthorwald Castle is a large ruined rectangular tower at the centre of the village of Torthorwald just outside Dumfries in south west Scotland.
History
The first castle on the site was an Earthworks (archaeology), earthwork motte-and-bailey b ...
*
Carlyle House
Carlyle House is a historic mansion in Alexandria, Virginia, United States, built by Scottish merchant John Carlyle in 1751 to 1752 in the Georgian style.
It is situated in the city's Old Town at 121 North Fairfax Street between Cameron and K ...
*
Torthorwald
Torthorwald is a village and civil parish in Dumfries and Galloway, south-west Scotland. It is located east of Dumfries on the A709 road to Lochmaben. The area was the property of the de Torthorwald family until the end of the 13th century, whe ...
References
Notes
Bibliography
"About John Carlyle"at Carlyle House Historic Park website
*https://www.novaparks.com/parks/carlyle-house-historic-park/history
*Richard Henry Spencer
"The Carlyle Family."''William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine''. Vol.18, No.3. (January 1910). pp. 201–212.
*Richard Henry Spencer
The Carlyle House and its Associations--Braddock's Headquarters--Here the Colonial Governors met in Council, April, 1755."''William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine''. Vol.18, No.1. (July 1909). pp. 1–17.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carlyle, John
Virginia colonial people
1720 births
1780 deaths
Businesspeople from Alexandria, Virginia
Scottish landowners
History of Alexandria, Virginia
Trustees of populated places in Virginia
Fairfax family
Scottish emigrants to the Thirteen Colonies